Biggest Loser and Carousel Comedy

Snafu number 1: luggage limit exceeded. At the airport check in at St. Louis, we were told that a previously agreed upon arrangement for additional luggage allowance for a medical mission was no longer possible. We had 9 containers neatly packaged with donated supplies, all under 70lb. We needed to have 6 containers all under 50lbs. What a disappointment! That was 630lbs down to 300lb in one sentence by the flight meister. I felt like humming, "United Breaks Guitars," a funny YouTube video about a disgruntled flight customer. But, flexibility is a key in these ventures, so we set about to lose that weight like the Biggest Loser. It soon looked like a bomb went off in our luggage. 9 containers suddenly all opened with books and sutures and gloves and medicine on the floor. Thankfully, we still had the support from our spouses at this time and we made good memories trying to decide what to take and what to leave.

After a 3 hr flight to Washington DC and a 7 hr flight to Belgium, we were ready to embark on our last leg- a 9 hour flight to Angola and 1 hr flight to Kinshasa. The "holding" area for our gate reminded us of Ikea with neat box shapes; we were surrounded by glass on all sides inside the larger airport. Since it was standing room only, we moved closer to the actual gate when it neared time... as did everyone else who was sitting down. When the gate opened, although we were only about 5 people away from the gate, at least 30 people somehow fit in front of us. From my time in Ethiopia, where you literally needed to have your shoes touching those in front of yours in order to keep your place in a single file line, I realized I needed to stick close to Tim simply to stay together as a group. Paul was right behind me, for a second. I made it through the gate and was going down the gangway and looked back. Because this was Ikea and we were in a square fishbowl, I could still see him. He was in the same spot. At LEAST 40 people somehow got between Paul and that gate. Welcome to Africa!

We stepped out of the plane in Kinshasa, Congo. Imagine the smell of campfire mixed with boys basketball jerseys wafting over you in early summer in humid St. Louis. We walked down the stairs onto the concrete, were greeted by several uniformed Congolese, and boarded a bus to be transported to the two story airport. Customs was no problem, but then we arrived the one luggage carousel. As we waited for our 6 containers, we noticed that among the large pieces of luggage, there was a small package of tissues on a napkin. This seemed like a clear message. If we don't have your luggage, no worries. Take a Kleenex served on a fancy napkin. We waited some more. Suddenly, out of the shoot came the bright orange jacket worn by an airport employee. He was STANDING on the carousel as it went round and round, holding a small box labeled with bright orange caution tape. Although at first we thought it may be a box with hazardous materials, turns out they just didn't want a song written about "United Breaks 'Super Tiny Box That You Should Have Put in Your Purse.'"

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